5 soldiers remanded in prison for attempted kidnapping

By Saka Bolaji, Minna

A Minna Chief Magistrate Court has remanded five soldiers from the 102 GIDs Battalion Zuma Barracks Suleja in prison custody for an alleged attempt to kidnap a prominent politician in the state.

The identity of the said politician was not made known by the police.

In the First Information Report (FIR) with which the suspects were arraigned, the police gave the name of the soldiers as Omorua Chiso, Nkwa Collins, Phips Peter, Sanday John and Abdulrazaq Isa.

According to the charge sheet, the suspects attempted to kidnap the politician when he was travelling to Abuja on the Dikko-Suleja road on October 31, 2016.

Counsel to the accused persons, Mr John Agbu applied for their bail, stating that the alleged offence was bailable and that they were presumed innocent until proven guilty by the court.

The prosecutor, Sergent Moses Mbaga objected the bail application on the ground that their release would jeopardize further investigation on the matter, disclosing that the police was not done with its investigation.

Ruling on the bail application, the presiding Chief Magistrate, Mohammed Gimba Gadi turned down the oral bail application canvassed by the defence counsel, directing the counsel to make a formal bail application.

Gadi consequently ordered the suspects to be remanded in prison custody. He adjourned the case till December 5, 2016 for further mention.